Rape Myth Acceptance in Japanese university students

1
Rape Myth Acceptance in Japanese university
students

• KITAKAZE Nahoko (Meijigakuin University)
• NUMA Natsumi (Wako University)
• MATSUGAMI Nobutake (Wako University)
• INOUE Takayo (Meijigakuin University)
• ITO Takehiko (Wako University)
• 28 April , 2007
• Kamakura Meeting

2
Introduction

• Rape victims have suffers from not only
• (1)direct physically and psychological wound
• but also
• (2)stigma which harms them indirectly.
• The victims often accused as they will provider
  they have and they are victimize twice. This is
  called the secondary victimization.
• The rape myth can be engraved peoples
  consciousness which facilitates them to accuse
  victims. (by Asian Womans
  Fund)

3
What is Rape Myth ?

• Rape myths are attitudes and beliefs that are
  generally false but are widely and persistently
  held,
• and that serve to deny and justify male sexual
  aggression against women. (Lonsway
  Fitzgerald,1994)
• Rape myths usually include the following items
• victims deserve, cause, invite, ask for, or
  want to be raped.
• victims who get raped could have avoided it and
  therefore are at fault.
• victims are sexually promiscuous, or they are
  sexually active with the offender, and thus
  she/he was a willing partner in a sex act.
• These myths are learned through cultural
  socialization by our family, peers, religious
  instruction, schools, media, and community.
  (Schmid, H., 2004).

4
Rape myth studies in U. S. Burt (1980)

• Burt (1980) made the Rape Myth Acceptance Scale
  (RMA) and found that RMA correlates with various
  attitudes, personalities, and other background
  characteristics.
• Her results indicated that the higher the sex
  role stereotyping, adversarial sexual beliefs,
  and acceptance of interpersonal violence, the
  greater a respondents acceptance of rape myths.
• The results also reported that many Americans
  believe rape myths and RMA is connected to other
  deeply held and pervasive attitudes.

5
RMA studies in Japan Ohbuchi.et.al.(1985)

• They made a questionnaire survey by using Burt
  (1980)s original questionnaire Japanese
  version of rape myth acceptance scale (RMA scale)
  with four subscales ?Acceptance of sexual
  aggression, ?Womens latent desire to be raped, ?
  Womens carelessness causes rape, ? Rape story
  as made up by women .
• Subjects were university students and
  prisoners(rapist and others)
• Results indicated
• (1)Degree of RMA Rape prisonersgtGeneral
  prisoners gtMale studentsgt Female students
• (2) RMA was supported widely by Japanese
  university students including even women students
• (3) Acceptance of sexual aggression was more
  often believed by men than women.
• (4) Womens latent desire to be raped was more
  often supported by with experience of sex than
  without such experience.

6
Background

• During these 21 years in Japan, the
  consciousness of womens right become more
  activated such as movement activity toward
  implementation of womens human rights.
• Equal Employment Opportunity Law (1997) was
  revised and employers responsibility to prevent
  sexual harassment (2006), Stalker Control Law
  (2003), Domestic Violence Prevention Law (2002),
  and perseverance of anonymity during the court
  process of victims of sex crime.
• Psychological and psychiatric studies for rape
  victims has increased and revealed the
  significance of psychological care in the
  assistance of victims.
• The rape victims number are not decreasing in
  Japan and there are more necessity to assist
  those victims.
• Reduction of Rape Myth Acceptance is an important
  task, but there had been few studies since 1985
  in Japan.
• This study is trying to see the 21 year change of
  rape myth acceptance today in Japan by comparing
  it with data by Ohbuchi et al (1985) .

7
Purpose of present study

• Purpose of present our questionnaire study is to
  replicate the Ohbuchis rape myth acceptance
  scale and compare their results with todays
  data.
• Factors sex, sexual intercourse experience and
  the contact frequency to violent sexual media
• Hypotheses
• Hypothesis 1 Rape myth acceptance has reduced
  since 1985.
• Hypothesis 2 Men often believe rape myth than
  women.
• Hypothesis 3 Without sexual experience latent
  support rape myth.
• Hypothesis 4 The more contact of sexual violent
  media are more support violence sexual acceptance
  womens latent desire to be raped.

8
Method

• Participants a survey was conducted 209
  students. Valid answers were 189 students (male
  130, female 59). The average of male subject
  19.2 years old (SD1.13), female subject 19.2
  years old (SD1.45) During university class
  time, the questionnaire survey was conducted.
• Structure of the questionnaire
• Rape myth acceptance scale (1) Acceptance of
  sexual aggression, (2) Womens latent desire to
  be raped, (3) Womens carelessness causes rape, ,
  and (4) Rape story as made up by women .
• Personality variables (such as sexual stereotype,
  conservatism on sex, hostility toward women,
  sexual self esteem, contact to sexual violent
  media and sexual experience.)

9
RMA questionnaire items

• (1) Acceptance of sexual aggression
• k71. It is sexual excitement for most women to be
  treated rudely by men.
• k72. Mostly, women make a show of not desiring to
  have sexual intercourse, as she a loose women,
  they desire to be raped really.
• k73. The way to excite frigid women is to rape
  violently.
• (2) Womens Latent desire to be raped
• k81. A woman who goes to the home or apartment
  of a man on their first date implies that she is
  willing to have sex.
• k82. If a healthy women will resist desperately,
  she cant to be raped.
• k83. Many woman have an unconscious wish to be
  raped, and may then unconsciously set up a
  situation in which they are likely to be
  attacked.
• (3) Womens carelessness causes rape
• k91. Any female can get raped.
• k92. When woman go around braless ,they are just
  asking for trouble.
• (4) Rape story as made up by women
• ka1. What percentage of women who report a rape
  would you say are lying because they are angry
  and want to get back at the man they accuse ?
• ka2. What percentage of reported rapes would you
  guess were merely invented by women who
  discovered they were pregnant and wanted to
  protect their own reputation ?

10
Male students acceptance of rape myth 1985-2006
1985 Male (n70)
2006 Male (n130)
Acceptance of sexual aggression ( plt.05)
Womens Latent desire to be raped ( plt.05)
Womens carelessness causes rape
Rape story as made up by women
score
11
Male students acceptance of rape myth 1985-2006
plt.05 plt.01 n. s. non-significant
1985 male (n70) 2006 male (n130)
n. s.
k71. To be treated rudely by men is sexually
exciting.

k72. Mostly, women desire to be raped in reality.

K73. Rape excites frigid women.
K81. A woman who goes to the mans home
at first date is willing to have sex.

k82. A healthy women who resist desperately
cant be raped.
n. s.
k83. Many woman have an unconscious wish to be
raped, and may set up a situation in which they
are likely to be attacked.
n. s.

k91. Any female can get raped.
n. s.
K92. Braless woman are just asking for trouble.
ka1.Percentage of women who report a rape are
lying because they are angry and want to get back
at the man
n. s.
Ka2. Percentage of reported rapes invented by
pregnant women who wanted to protect their own
reputation
n. s.
12
Change of RMA 1985-2006 in male students

• In male subjects, the subscales of Acceptance of
  sexual aggression and Womens Latent desire to be
  raped were significantly decreased.
• The support rate of K72. Mostly, women make a
  show of not desiring to have sexual intercourse
  was declined from 40.0 to 19.2.
• The support rate of K81. A woman who goes to
  the home or apartment of a man on their first
  date implies that she is willing to have sex,
  significantly changed from 54.1 to 25.6.
• The support rate of K91 Any female can get
  raped, increased from 15.7 to 28.6, which
  means decrease of RMA in this item..
• The decrease of RMA in male students was shown in
  the results of four items out of tem items.
• Hypothesis 1 was generally supported.

13
Female students acceptance of rape myth
1985-2006
1985 Female (n73)
2006 Female (n59)
Acceptance of sexual aggression ( n. s. )
Womens Latent desire to be raped ( plt.05)
Womens carelessness causes rape
Rape story as made up by women
score
14
Change of RMA 1985-2006 in female students

• As for women, Womens Latent desire to be raped
  is significantly lower than in 21years ago. Women
  also had less belief on the item that k81. A
  woman who goes to the home or apartment of a man
  on their first date implies that she is willing
  to have sex.
• Our data shows that rape myth acceptance rate has
  decreased both in men and women.
• Hypothesis 1 was partly supported.

15
Gender difference of the acceptance rape myth 2006
Male (n130) ? Female (n59)
(score) 1
2 3 4 5
k71. It is sexual excitement for most women to be
treated rudely by men.
(n. s.)
k72. Mostly, women make a show of not desiring
to have sexual intercourse, as she a loose
women, they desire to be raped really.
(n. s.)
K73. The way to excite frigid women is raping
violently.
(n. s.)
K81. A woman who goes to the home or apartment
of a man on their first date implies that she is
willing to have sex.
( plt.05)
k82. If a healthy women will resist desperately,
she cant to be raped.
(n. s.)
k83. Many woman have an unconscious wish to be
raped, and may then unconsciously set up a
situation in which they are likely to be
attacked.
( plt.05)
(n. s.)
k91. Any female can get raped.
K92. When woman go around braless ,they are just
asking for trouble.
(n. s.)
ka1. What percentage of women who report a rape
would you say are lying because they are angry
and want to get back at the man they accuse ?

(n. s.)
Ka2. what percentage of reported rapes would you
guess were merely invented by women who
discovered they were pregnant and wanted to
protect their own reputation ?
(n. s.)
16
Gender difference of RMA 2006

• The support rates of the item K81. A woman who
  goes to the home or apartment of a man on their
  first date implies that she is willing to have
  sex and the item k83. Many woman have an
  unconscious wish to be raped. were
  significantly higher in male than in female.
• Other items had no gender difference.
• Hypothesis 2 was partially supported only in the
  subscale of Womens Latent Desire to Be Raped,
  and not in other subscales.

17
Male students sexual experience factor 2006
(score) 1
2 3 4 5
without (n61) ? with (n54)
(n. s.)
k71. It is sexual excitement for most women to be
treated rudely by men.
k72. Mostly, women make a show of not desiring
to have sexual intercourse, as she a loose
women, they desire to be raped really.
(n. s.)
k73. The way to excite frigid women is raping
violently.
(n. s.)
k81. A woman who goes to the home or apartment
of a man on their first date implies that she is
willing to have sex.
(n. s.)
k82. If a healthy women will resist desperately,
she cant to be raped.
( plt.05)
k83. Many woman have an unconscious wish to be
raped, and may then unconsciously set up a
situation in which they are likely to be
attacked.
( plt.05)
k91. Any female can get raped.
(n. s.)
k92. When woman go around braless ,they are just
asking for trouble.
(n. s.)

ka1. What percentage of women who report a rape
would you say are lying because they are angry
and want to get back at the man they accuse ?
(n. s.)
ka2. what percentage of reported rapes would you
guess were merely invented by women who
discovered they were pregnant and wanted to
protect their own reputation ?
(n. s.)
18
Sexual experience of male students 2006

• In the two items of Womens latent desire to be
  raped subscales, male students without sexual
  experience had higher RMA rate than those with
  experience.
• Hypothesis 3 was supported. Without sexual
  experience, men tend to depend on fantasy or
  media influence.

19
The contact of sexual violent media in male 2006
high media contact (n64) ? low media contact
(n64)
(score) 1
2 3 4 5
k71. It is sexual excitement for most women to be
treated rudely by men.

(n. s.)
k72. Mostly, women make a show of not desiring
to have sexual intercourse, as she a loose
women, they desire to be raped really.
(n. s.)
k73. The way to excite frigid women is raping
violently.
( plt.05)
k81. A woman who goes to the home or apartment
of a man on their first date implies that she is
willing to have sex.
(n. s.)
k82. If a healthy women will resist desperately,
she cant to be raped.
(n. s.)
k83. Many woman have an unconscious wish to be
raped, and may then set up a situation in which
they are likely to be attacked.
( plt.05)
(n. s.)
k91. Any female can get raped.
K92. When woman go around braless, they are just
asking for trouble.
(n. s.)
ka1. What percentage of women who report a rape
would you say are lying because they are angry
and want to get back at the man they accuse ?
( plt.05)
Ka2. what percentage of reported rapes would you
guess were merely invented by women who
discovered they were pregnant and wanted to
protect their own reputation ?
( plt.05)
20
The contact of sexual violent media in male 2006

• Those who had high media contact had higher RMA
  rates in the item of K73. The way to excite
  frigid women is raping violently. and the item
  of k83. Many woman have an unconscious wish to
  be raped, and may then unconsciously set up a
  situation in which they are likely to be
  attacked.
• And in Rape story as made up by women subscale
  items factor, those who had high media contact
  had higher RMA rates.
• Hypothesis 4 was supported in several items.

21
Conclusion

• Support for the Acceptance of sexual aggression
  and Womens latent desire to be raped have
  decreased in Japanese university students since
  1985.
• There were no significant gender difference and
  time difference in the subscales of Womens
  carelessness causes rape and Rape story as made
  up by women.
• To remove stigma of rape victims, It is necessity
  to reduce rape myth acceptance in further time
  perspective.
• Concrete and correct information is important to
  be provided for sex education for young people.
• Sexual violent media contact such as by internet
  is harmful for teenagers . It is necessary for
  young people to give guidance or to have limited
  access to harmful violent media contents.

22
References

• Burt, M. R. (1980). Cultural myths and supports
  for rape. Journal of Personality and Social
  Psychology, 38, 217-230.
• Lonsway, K.A., Fitzgerald, L. F. (1994). Rape
  myths In review. Psychology of Women
  Quarterly,18,133-164.
• Ohbuchi, K., Ishige,H., Yamanoha, T., Inoue,K.
  (1985). Rape myths and sexual crimes. The
  Japanese Journal of Criminal Psychology.
  23(2),1-11.
• Schmid, H. (2004). Rape myth. In M. D. Smith
  (Ed.) Encyclopedia of rape. Greenwood Press.
  191-193.